Several news sources featured in the Daily Digest may limit the number of articles you can access without a subscription. However, gift articles and open-access links are provided when available. For more open access California water news articles, explore the main page at MavensNotebook.com.
In California water news today …
Something big is blocking California’s winter storms — here’s what that means
“San Francisco’s wettest month, climatologically, isn’t shaping up to follow the traditional script this year. The city averages more rain in December than any other month, but California’s precipitation forecast to close out 2025 is grim. Effects of a stratospheric disruption and hints of La Niña’s influence on the jet stream are likely to steer storms away from the West Coast for at least the first half of December. This would likely keep California drier than normal for the first two weeks of the month, especially in the northern half of the state. Southern California may fare slightly better from a precipitation standpoint, but the region remains on a razor’s edge from a volatile storm track. … ” Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle (gift article).
Plan would raise Pine Flat Dam 12 feet
“Earlier this month Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) toured Pine Flat Dam and met with officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Kings River Conservation District (KRCD), and the Kings River Water Association (KRWA) to discuss ongoing water conservation research and long-term infrastructure needs critical to the Central Valley. During his visit, Fong received briefings on efforts to raise the Pine Flat spillway by 12 feet — an infrastructure upgrade that would add roughly 120,700 acre-feet of new storage to the reservoir’s existing one-million-acre-foot capacity. The project was authorized for initial study in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024 but requires a federal feasibility study to be conducted. Congressman Fong is actively pressing to launch that study without delay. In June 2025, he led a bipartisan letter with Reps. Gray, Valadao, and Costa urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin the Pine Flat Dam feasibility study well before FY 2028, citing the urgent need for additional storage and stronger flood protection across the region. … ” Read more from the Hanford Sentinel.
When the world’s largest battery power plant caught fire, toxic metals rained down – wetlands captured the fallout
“When fire broke out at the world’s largest battery energy storage facility in January 2025, its thick smoke blanketed surrounding wetlands, farms and nearby communities on the central California coast. Highways closed, residents evacuated and firefighters could do little but watch as debris and ash rained down. People living in the area reported headaches and respiratory problems, and some pets and livestock fell ill. Two days later, officials announced that the air quality met federal safety standards. But the initial all-clear decision missed something important – heavy metal fallout on the ground. When battery energy storage facilities burn, the makeup of the chemical fallout can be a mystery for surrounding communities. Yet, these batteries often contain metals that are toxic to humans and wildlife. The smoke plume from the fire in Vistra’s battery energy storage facility at Moss Landing released not just hazardous gases such as hydrogen fluoride but also soot and charred fragments of burned batteries that landed for miles around. … The batteries’ metal fragments, often too tiny to see with the naked eye, didn’t disappear. They continue to be remobilized in the environment today. … ” Read more from The Conversation.
California expands salmon restoration efforts with new projects, early signs of species rebound
“California officials say the state is seeing early signs of progress in its effort to boost struggling salmon populations, with new restoration projects approved in the Central Valley and promising returns reported on the Klamath River. The California Wildlife Conservation Board last week approved seven habitat and fish-passage projects totaling more than $70 million. The work is part of the state’s Healthy Rivers and Landscapes program and aligns with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2022 Salmon Strategy, which outlines 71 actions to help the species adapt to warming, drought-prone conditions. State officials say nearly 70% of those actions are underway and about a quarter have been completed. California’s salmon populations have been battered by years of drought, climate impacts and habitat loss. Commercial salmon seasons have been closed for three straight years, and recreational fishing only partially reopened in 2024. … ” Read more from Palisades News.
Agency issues warning over concerning observation in snow-covered mountains — here’s what you need to know
“There’s a concerning trend in the Sierra Nevada, where snowmelt runoff has been declining for over a century. The mountain range, mostly located in California, “historically provided about one-third of the state’s annual supply for agriculture and urban needs” via spring runoff, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment reported. But the fraction of total snowmelt runoff that reaches the Sacramento River during spring has declined by about eight percentage points (about 19%) in the past century, and the story with the San Joaquin River is similar, according to the reporting. The agency noted that rising global temperatures are affecting the volume and timing of spring runoff. In winter, warmer weather is turning what used to be snow into rain, which decreases the snowpack. When spring arrives early, the snow melts, “reduc[ing] water availability later in the summer and fall.” … ” Read more from The Cool Down.
Engineers are testing a massive underwater battery in California
“Off the coast of California, engineers are preparing to sink a hollow concrete sphere that works like an underwater battery. They’re calling it StEnSea style storage.The prototype will rest on the seabed near Long Beach and store electricity by using the pressure of deep ocean water. This first full scale test comes from the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology (FIEEEST) and its partners. Instead of building new dams in mountain valleys, the team wants to tuck large energy stores thousands of feet below the sea surface. … ” Read more from Earth.com.
State agencies near completion of regulatory alignment study
“The California Department of Food and Agriculture, State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards, and the California Environmental Protection Agency are nearing the completion of their Regulatory Alignment Study, with the final report expected in December. The study was funded by the State in 2022 through the Budget Act, as a means to improve the regulatory system for farmers and ranchers. Public comment on the final draft report closed in October 2025. According to the draft report released in September, CDFA contracted with Crowe LLP and their partner, Blankinship & Associates to conduct the study, developing 18 recommendations that utilize insight and interviews from producers, agency staff, and other interested parties across California. The study focuses on regulatory alignment across select program areas: Produce Safety Program, Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program, Confined Animal Facility Program, and the Winery Order. While the program areas have varied priorities and structures, the draft report explained that they share common processes including enrollment, reporting, monitoring, inspection, and enforcement. Taken together, they represent a large portion of the food safety and water quality regulatory environment for California agriculture. … ” Continue reading from Valley Ag Voice.
Navigating California’s agricultural regulations: Insights from Bryan Little of the California Farm Bureau
“California agriculture faces unique challenges when it comes to employment regulations, and Bryan Little of the California Farm Bureau is at the forefront of addressing them. In his role, Little works closely with legislators and regulators on public policy issues that affect farm employers, particularly around employment laws, wages, hours, overtime, training, safety, and human resources. In addition, Little oversees Farm Employers Labor Service, an affiliated organization of the California Farm Bureau. This service helps agricultural employers comply with both state and federal requirements, ensuring they understand and can implement the complex regulations governing California’s agricultural workforce. As he explains, “There’s a lot on the plate and a lot that we need to help ag employers know how they can do the right way.” … ” Read more from AgNet West.
Cultivating water abundance
“Is abundance realistic when it comes to water availability in the San Joaquin Valley? The American Pistachio Growers raised that issue at their seminar titled “Cultivating a Sustainable Future” held in Bakersfield on November 13th. The sentiment behind the issue was that the Valley, and indeed most of California, has insufficient water to meet its current needs and the available supplies must be allocated with the result that water scarcity is now a fact of life – a reality that many farmers must face. But John Duarte of Duarte Nursery, and a former congressman, advocated moving away from scarcity as the norm and replacing it with a strategy to achieve abundance. He was well supported by Congressman Vince Fong, who had flown through the night from Washington, D.C., to attend the seminar. Fong was emphatic in the need to create water policies aimed at abundance. Duarte argued that there are many potential projects that can be implemented to solve the state’s water problems, with the only real limitation being funding — and that funding is a choice. One percent of the state’s $300 billion budget for 10 years would largely resolve the water scarcity, he argued. The resulting $30 billion if applied to the implementation of a well-developed water plan over a sustained period, could move the state from scarcity to abundance. One way to justify that expenditure is to present it as compensation for water supplies promised but never delivered. … ” Read more from the Valley Ag Voice.
For pesticide activists, history appears to repeat itself
“Karen Cameron remembers well the day that restrictions were finally placed on chlorpyrifos, a widely-used pesticide. Chlorpyrifos, a type of organophosphate – commonly referred to as an OP – had been linked to neurodevelopmental issues like autism, ADHD and decreased IQ. But it wasn’t the details of the new regulation itself that Cameron remembers so clearly about that day – it was a conversation she had with Dolores Huerta, the iconic farmworker advocate, while celebrating with fellow activists. As Cameron recalls it, Huerta gave her a warning: “don’t get too happy, because in my experiences, they always come up with something worse.” “We’ve found that to be pretty true,” Cameron said. Though pesticides today aren’t necessarily worse than their predecessors, it’s hard to miss the basic reasoning behind Huerta’s warning. … ” Read more from the Monterey Herald (gift article).
Inside California’s organic farming boom: Technology, labor, and the fight for farmland
“When Larry Jacobs began his farming career in 1980, he started small—one farm in the quiet coastal hamlet of Pescadero, just two and a half miles from the Pacific Ocean. Today, Jacobs Farms/Del Cabo spans six locations across San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties, totaling roughly 400 acres of certified organic ground. What began as a single plot has grown into one of California’s most respected organic operations—so much so that Jacobs is now a candidate for Organic Grower of the Year at the Organic Grower Summit. “We’re honored to be nominated,” Jacobs says. “It’s quite a distinction.” … ” Read more from AgNet West.
California agriculture caught in the land equity web
“In accordance with the California Budget Act of 2022 — AB 179 — the California Agricultural Land Equity Task Force was established and assigned to submit a report to the Legislature and Governor Newsom by January 1, 2026, on policy recommendations to address the “agricultural land equity crisis.” Based on the Task Force’s November 2025 draft report, the 13-member group, overseen by the California Strategic Growth Council, outlined six main recommendations: support tribal stewardship and land return; fund and encourage land purchases for certain producers and land stewards; stop and reverse farmland consolidation; protect farmland while improving equitable access; prioritize secure land ownership; and promote urban agriculture. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
How indigenous cultural burns can help heal climate-ravaged forests—and people
“To combat increasingly dangerous wildfires, modern fire management teams may use prescribed burns to reduce fuel buildup before fire season begins. But around the world, Indigenous people have been using fire on the landscape for thousands of years. One such practice comes from the Métis tradition in Western Canada. While a prescribed burn is typically a larger, low- to moderate-intensity fire, the Métis burning practice is much smaller, more closely resembling a campfire, and it carries cultural significance. Cree-Métis scientist Amy Cardinal Christianson is a senior fire advisor with the Indigenous Leadership Initiative and host of the Good Fire podcast. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. … ” Read more from Inside Climate News.
In commentary today …
Nine California water rites
Jay Lund, Vice-Director, Center for Watershed Sciences Distinguished Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Davis, writes, “Rite” noun:
1. a religious or other solemn ceremony or act.
2. a social custom, practice, or conventional act.
California has complex and hallowed water rites. Here are some … ” Read more from the California Water Blog.
California salmon are endangered. So is the Democrats’ environmentalism
Opinion writer Tom Philp writes, “In the eyes of the world, California was supposed to be the green city on the hill, the showcase of environmental stewardship fueled by a new economy advancing clean energy, smarter growth and sustainable living. Instead, today’s California has more homeless people than anywhere in the country, the priciest gasoline and electricity and residents migrating to other states. California’s once-vaunted brand of environmentalism is in trouble. The Democratic Party, which has run the state nearly singlehandedly for years, is frantically trying to reframe itself as the champions of affordability as its political brand, in the words of Gov. Gavin Newsom, has become “toxic.” This isn’t a good time for an iconic state species like California salmon to find itself on the brink of survival and in desperate need of some human help. For the state’s natural world, the timing of a political recalibration by Democrats couldn’t be worse. … ” Read more from the Sacramento Bee (gift article).
National Academies of Science committee weighs in lightly on Delta issues
Scott Hamilton, President, Hamilton Resource Economics, writes, “Water management in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is contentious as water users and regulators battle over limited water supplies. The science is complex and answers to difficult scientific issues continue to be elusive in the face of inadequate data and studies that are all too frequently flawed. To help find reconciliation, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation requested an ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a biennial review of the monitoring, modeling, and other relevant scientific activities and initiatives that support the long-term operations of the Central Valley Project. In the first cycle of the study, the committee assessed the state of science as it relates to: a) fish losses associated with Old and Middle River (OMR) flow management, b) Shasta cold-water pool management which influences survival of winter-run salmon, and c) flow augmentation intended to enhance summer–fall habitat for Delta smelt. Additionally, the committee provided recommendations on how modeling and monitoring strategies and decision-support tools can be changed, improved, or replaced to more accurately assess the impacts of the water project operations. … ” Read more from the Valley Ag Voice.
The salmon that surprised everyone
“Wild Souls: Freedom and Flourishing in the Non-Human World,” writes, “When the last of four dams on the Klamath River in southern Oregon and Northern California was demolished in October 2024, everyone who knew the river well had a question: How long would it take for salmon to reclaim the upper reaches they’d been cut off from for more than 100 years? About 10 months later, when they began their fall migration, Chinook salmon immediately took advantage of their new river access, looking for places upstream to lay or fertilize eggs. But the fish still faced two intact dams and no one was sure if the salmon would make it through the fish ladders, structures designed for trout, a smaller species, to bypass the dams. Then in September, a video camera caught them leaping up the ladders like pros. … ” Read more from the New York Times (gift article).
Clear a path for sweeping urban experiments such as California Forever
Chris Elmendorf, a professor of law at UC Davis, and Ed Glaeser, professor of economics at Harvard, write, “Earlier this month, the Silicon Valley dreamers proposing building a 400,000-person city and manufacturing hub on rangeland 50 miles northeast of San Francisco released a detailed rendition of their plan. It’s unlike anything the United States has seen before: exurban in location, intensely urban by design. The new city will be laid out on a compact grid, with interlocking streets, rapid-transit routes and greenways for pedestrians and cyclists. The city’s least dense residential neighborhoods will be zoned for 85-foot apartment buildings, taller than essentially every apartment building erected before 1880. House hunters will be able to purchase row houses as if they were shopping for real estate in 19th century Brooklyn, not in cookie-cutter suburban sprawl. This vision – so distant and so dense – represents a stark break with what has typically sold well on the exurban frontier. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
In regional water news and commentary today …
NORTH COAST
Higher-than-normal tides could flood Humboldt Bay this week — residents advised to prepare
“Humboldt Bay and many other coastal zones may experience higher-than-normal tides during the first week of December, raising the possibility of morning flooding in low-lying areas. The elevated tides are driven by the moon’s cycle and seasonal tidal patterns, but conditions could worsen if strong southerly winds develop and push water further inland. Officials say that even without stormy weather, so-called “high-tide flooding” — sometimes known as sunny-day or nuisance flooding — is becoming increasingly common along coasts due to rising sea levels. Residents in susceptible zones — including low-lying roads, waterfront neighborhoods, and older drainage areas — are encouraged to stay alert. Small increases in water levels can lead to flooded streets, blocked drainage, and saltwater seepage into storm drains, even on days without rain. … ” Read more from the Redheaded Blackbelt.
MOUNTAIN COUNTIES
Dry week ahead for Lake Tahoe, when will the snow fall?
“December will start on the dry side, with mainly dry conditions prevailing through the upcoming week. The coolest days are expected to be Wednesday and Thursday. A weak weather system is expected to pass through the region on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing periods of breezy winds, but shower chances have decreased, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno. Blocking any moisture-laden storms reaching the Sierra is blamed on a prevailing high-pressure system off the West Coast. Early signs favor that ridge drifting to the south, which may open up the Pacific storm track into the northwest US from Friday into next weekend. … ” Read more from South Tahoe Now.
Tahoe Fund launches campaign to restore Upper Truckee Marsh
“The Tahoe Fund has announced “A Million for the Marsh” campaign to raise the first $1 million of private funds to help secure the public funds the California Tahoe Conservancy will need to revive the Upper Truckee Marsh in South Lake Tahoe where the former Motel 6 once stood. The Motel 6 building, restaurant and parking lot were demolished earlier this year and planning is underway to bring this wetland back to life, according to a press release. “California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot called the acquisition and demolition of this site ‘the most important in a generation to protect Lake Tahoe,’ and we couldn’t agree more,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO, in the release. “That’s why we’re launching this campaign—so that our donors can show that taking the next step to restore this marsh matters to our community and to the future health of Lake Tahoe.” … ” Read more from the Tahoe Guide.
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
Tehama County: Upcoming public meetings to provide updates on groundwater management
“The Tehama County Flood Control and Water Conservation District will host two public meetings to provide updates on groundwater management and to gather feedback. On Dec. 3, there will be a meeting at the Red Bluff Community Center from 6-7:30 p.m. A meeting will be held in Corning, at the Rodgers Theatre on Dec. 4, from 6-7:30 p.m. The public is welcome to join the meetings in-person, or watch online. There is a link to pre-register at bit.ly/tehamagroundwater. Registration is not required, but the county says it will help them prepare. Both meetings will cover the same information. Attendees can expect to learn about the requirements under California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Other topics will cover local projects and updates on groundwater conditions. … ” Read more from the Red Bluff Daily News.
Orland tackles water troubles
“The city of Orland is grappling with water supply challenges, but it isn’t due to the newly constructed water tank. City officials said that while the water tank construction is almost complete, they are awaiting electrical connections before the facility off Old Highway 99 becomes operational. This project was funded by the Department of Water Resources. The real issue involves an $800,000 grant from the Department of Water Resources meant for a new well. Due to supply chain delays, the well won’t be completed by the grant deadline. Faced with the “use it or lose it” situation, the Orland City Council decided to use the funds to replace aging water mains in the downtown area, specifically under alleys on Third, Fourth, and Fifth Streets. “The pipe is old, the valve is old, they’re hard to fix when they do have issues, and so it is a critical need for our infrastructure here in Orland,” said a city representative. … ” Read more from the Glenn County Transcript.
Chico’s creek pollution collection ‘behind schedule’ for 2030
“A short meeting is up for the Chico City Council on Tuesday with regular business including an update to building code standards and a review on funding options to meet waterway pollution standards. … A staff report stated Chico is behind schedule for a 2030 deadline by the board to meet trash capture requirements including 100% capture of all trash 5 mm or greater in waterways. The board sent a reminder of compliance to the city May 20. The city since 2020 installed 11 drop inlet filters near Little Chico Creek and other areas and designed a large trash capture device slated for summer 2026, but is behind because the mandate is unfunded, according to the report. … ” Read more from the Chico Enterprise-Record (gift article).
NAPA/SONOMA
Strong 2025 run of fall-run chinook salmon in the Russian River
Eric Woodruff writes, “Having fished and surveyed the Russian River watershed for many years, there have been occasions when I’ve observed spawning adult Chinook salmon, stumbled across a carcass, or accidentally hooked a “Jack” or “Jill,” a young maturing Chinook salmon. These observations were exciting. They are a reminder that a small and resilient population of fall-run Chinook salmon still remained in the Russian River. 2025 is much more promising. As of November 18, fisheries biologists with Sonoma Water have counted 3,808 adult Chinook salmon swimming up a fish ladder at the Mirabel inflatable dam site near Forestville. … ” Read more from the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance.
BAY AREA
Marin Municipal Water District orders study of flooding in Nicasio
“The Marin Municipal Water District is spending $387,685 to investigate flood concerns in Nicasio. The study comes in response to residents who protested a plan, now canceled, to increase capacity at the Nicasio Reservoir. Residents suspect the buildup of sediment has led to more frequent flooding along Nicasio Creek and Halleck Creek, which are part of the district’s property. Critics said the result has been damage to roads, yards and the community school. Residents said an expansion of the reservoir could exacerbate the flooding. The district convened a group to meet with residents about the concerns. At its meeting on Nov. 18, the district board approved a contract with Environmental Science Associates to study the issue. “What we found is, without question, there’s district responsibility,” said Ben Horenstein, general manager of the district. “We feel that there are some opportunities and needs for us to address the streams and the property.” … ” Read more from the Marin Independent Journal (gift article).
Chinook salmon are populating farther up a Bay Area creek for the first time in decades
“Chinook salmon are once again populating an upper part of the largest local tributary of the San Francisco Bay, thanks to the recent completion of a multiyear fish passage and restoration project. Fish biologists and environmental consultants documented two Chinook salmon in the upper Alameda Creek watershed on Nov. 19, nonprofit California Trout announced on Tuesday. Earlier that week, volunteers photographed almost a dozen of the fish in lower Niles Canyon, the Alameda Creek Alliance wrote in a Nov. 18 news release. According to CalTrout, this is the first time the fish have accessed this area of their own accord since the 1950s. … ” Read more from SF Gate.
$20 million project to restore wildlife, expand trails and boost flood protection along San Francisco Bay nears finish
“There’s a big new development going up in Mountain View along the edge of San Francisco Bay. But it’s not a tech company headquarters or a condo project. It’s for birds, and fish and hikers. Workers are putting the finishing touches on a three-year effort to restore 435 acres of former industrial salt evaporation ponds to natural wetlands and tidal marshes, along with building new public bayfront hiking trails. The $20 million project, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of December, is the latest chapter in an ongoing saga in which the state, federal government and environmental groups are slowly converting 15,100 acres of former salt ponds that ring the South Bay, Peninsula and East Bay back to habitat for ducks, shorebirds, fish, even leopard sharks, bat rays and harbor seals. It’s expected to open early next year. … ” Read more from the San Jose Mercury News (gift article).
CENTRAL COAST
Santa Cruz feels effect of River Stewards program closure
“Dozens of homeless people in Santa Cruz have lost support services after the unexpected closure of the River Stewards program, which provided case management services for unhoused Santa Cruz residents in exchange for San Lorenzo River restoration efforts. … In the program, 10 to 15 stewards worked each week alongside staff from the Coastal Watershed Council, a Santa Cruz nonprofit that aims to transform the San Lorenzo River into a welcoming and environmentally friendly public space. The stewards spent two hours each week removing invasive species from the river and planting native seeds. In exchange, the Downtown Streets Team — a nonprofit organization in Northern and Central California that provided unhoused people with community-based work — provided help with case management services. Each steward also received a $20 gift card at the end of each session. … ” Read more from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Cachuma Lake stocked with 3,000 pounds of Rainbow trout
“Three-thousand pounds of Rainbow Trout were recently released into Cachuma Lake. According to the County of Santa Barbara, the fish come from Mt. Lassen Trout Farms in Paynes Creek, California, and reportedly range in size from half-pound “catchables” to eight-pounders. A valid fishing license is required to fish at Cachuma Lake, which county officials say is now at 77% capacity after recent rainstorms. … ” Read more from KSBY.
Shaping the future of Surfers Point, naturally
“In Ventura, California, where waves roll in from the Pacific and surfers have long gathered, a quiet revolution in coastal restoration has taken shape. For more than 30 years, the Surfers Point project has stood as a test of patience, collaboration, and innovation—proving that protecting the coast doesn’t have to mean hardening it. Led by the City of Ventura, ESA has helped advance this nationally recognized effort by completing the engineering design to transform a once-eroding parking lot and bike trail into a model of natural adaptation and public access. When coastal storms eroded the shoreline in 1990, the initial response was to declare an emergency and dump rocks to protect the trail and parking areas. Efforts soon began to hold the shore in place with traditional armoring or a seawall. This conventional fix would have protected infrastructure, but at the cost of beach access, dune habitat, and long-term shoreline stability. As rising sea levels and other climate impacts accelerated coastal erosion, the community instead embraced a radical concept proposed by the Surfrider Foundation: a managed shoreline retreat. This approach allows the shoreline to naturally move inland rather than relying on hard structures to fight erosion, while relocating infrastructure landward and restoring natural cobble and dune systems. … ” Continue reading from ESA.
Ventura: HDR Engineering designs groundwater
“On Tuesday, November 18, the Ventura City Council approved a professional services agreement with HDR Engineering for the design of groundwater equipment and pipeline. The company is home to some of the industry’s most talented professionals. It empowers them to do their best work, helping clients and communities solve some of the world’s most complex challenges. Ventura Water General Manager Gina Dorrington and VenturaWaterPure Program Director Linda Sumansky presented the item. Sumansky provided an overview of VenturaWaterPure Costs, the injection well equipment and pipeline design contract, next steps, and recommendations. “How does this particular project fit into that?” she asked. “We’ll talk about the design of these two pieces.” … ” Read more from the Tri-County Sentry.
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Water deadline for Stanislaus County resort extended 3 months. Tax sale issue looms
“A potential date for shutting off water deliveries to Diablo Grande in western Stanislaus County has been extended to March 31 as officials express optimism about negotiations with Kern County. The Western Hills Water District was facing a Dec. 31 shutoff date as it and the Kern County Water Agency considered proposals for a new water transfer agreement. The Kern water agency board approved the three-month extension at a meeting in November. It provides Kern officials more time to respond to a counterproposal from Western Hills, according to communications cited by Western Hills. The Kern County Water Agency, some 200 miles from Diablo Grande, had threatened to stop water deliveries June 30 if the financially troubled Western Hills district did not resume payments for an annual 8,000 acre-feet allocation. … ” Read more from the Modesto Bee.
Adam Gray secures nearly $1.37 million for two community projects in Merced County
“Two projects submitted by Merced congressman Adam Gray were included in the 2026 fiscal year federal agriculture funding package, his office announced in a news release. One will expand mental health services for students in the Gustine Unified School District. The other will provide the Chowchilla Water District with resources to improve regional water safety and reliability. “I will continue working across the aisle to ensure our community receives the resources we need,” said Gray, a Democrat representing California’s 13th District. … ” Read more from the Merced Sun Star.
Fresno County surpasses Tulare and Kern with record production value
“Fresno County outproduced Tulare and Kern Counties for the 2024 crop year, setting a record value of $9.03 billion. According to the 2024 Fresno County Crop Report, almonds were the top commodity with a gross value of $1.46 billion, followed by grapes, pistachios, cattle and calves, and milk. The county’s production value rose 5.7% over the prior year and advanced ahead of Tulare County’s value of $8.3 billion and Kern County’s $7.9 billion for 2024. Kern was the only county that declined in total gross production value for 2024. … ” Read more from Valley Ag Voice.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Opinion on Cemex fight due in February
“Both sides argued Thursday over whether Cemex should be able to challenge a state water board decision before a final ruling is expected in February, during a hearing broadcast live on the 2nd District Appellate Court of California website. Cemex’s attorneys laid blame for the decadeslong delay in the company’s plans to mine 56 million tons of Soledad Canyon’s sand and gravel on the State Water Resources Control Board; the state board said an appeal before any final decision has been made is inappropriate and said the board is not to blame for inactivity, mentioning a stay and then several legal challenges. “If that were true, that would be a great fact or allegation for the petitioner, so they certainly would have come out and said it,” said Benjamin Lempert, deputy attorney general in the Natural Resources Law Section of the state’s Department of Justice. … ” Read more from The Signal.
Column: Amid catastrophic loss, the unshakable allure of the San Gabriel Mountains
Columnist Steve Lopez writes, “In December 2020, a reader suggested I get in touch with a young Pasadena man named Edgar McGregor, who was approaching 500 straight days of picking up trash in local parks, including Eaton Canyon. I connected with McGregor by email but then got sidetracked by other things, as did he. McGregor, now 25, still is picking up trash, and he also picked up a climate science degree at San José State in 2023. He operates a weather forecasting service out of his home, with a focus on the foothill communities of the San Gabriel Mountains, and has a keen interest in Santa Ana winds. This brought him a sizable following of people who paid close attention to his forecasts, particularly in January. … ” Read more from the LA Times.
Laguna Beach and Newport Beach partner on new water well to enhance cities’ water reliability
“A new groundwater well in Fountain Valley will become a reliable water source for two Orange County coastal communities that previously relied heavily on imported water. Officials from the Laguna Beach County Water District, the city of Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Fountain Valley recently signed an agreement to build a new well and supporting infrastructure on nearly one acre in Fountain Valley. The now-vacant land on Bushard Street was purchased by the Laguna Beach County Water District in 2024 for $2.75 million to provide a more reliable, affordable and sustainable water supply, thereby reducing Laguna Beach’s reliance on imported water. The collaboration benefits ratepayers in both communities by lowering the price, officials said. … ” Read more from the OC Register (gift article).
Man hikes 1,200 miles up California Coast for awareness
“When Sean Jansen is passionate about a cause, he raises awareness for it the best way he knows how: hiking. Earlier this month, after learning about the critically endangered Southern California steelhead trout native to San Juan and San Mateo Creeks, the San Clemente native grabbed his hiking poles and took off from T-Street, starting a nearly 1,200 mile, 86-day hike up the Southern California coast, including through Laguna Beach. “My entire childhood, I did not know that these fish existed,” Jansen said. “Once I discovered that they lived in this creek, I started researching them, and found out that they live all throughout Southern California. Not only that, they’re critically endangered. I figured out the system where I could walk the entire coastline in Southern California, connecting all these rivers where they meet the sea, then I could walk the mountains back down where these rivers start their life and create like a giant loop around these rivers.” … ” Read more from the Capistrano Dispatch.
Along the Colorado River …
Colorado’s 2025 ‘Water Year’ was abnormally hot and dry
“Colorado’s 2025 “water year” — a 12-month period that tracks water in the state — was a scorcher, according to a new report from the Colorado Climate Center at CSU. The “water year” runs from October 1 until September 30 of the following year. It’s used by scientists to keep track of how water accumulates in the state, from the earliest snowpack to when runoff flows into Colorado’s streams and reservoirs. The 2025 water year was the 10th hottest year on record, which stretches back to 1895. A few Western Slope locations even saw their warmest years on record. The research focuses on temperature, drought and precipitation, including rain and snow. October 2024 was also the hottest October ever recorded in that dataset. Most months also recorded above-average temperatures compared to the past century. … ” Read more from Colorado Public Radio.
November Water Supply: Steady reservoir levels amid ongoing concerns
“As November comes to a close, Southern Nevada’s water supply show relatively stable conditions following record-setting precipitation in November. Lake Mead currently sits at 31% capacity, showing little elevation change from October and maintaining steady levels throughout the month. However, the reservoir sits two feet lower than this time last year. Future decline is expected. The Bureau of Reclamation’s recent most-probable inflow projections show a Lake Mead elevation level of just 1038.48 ft in September of 2027 — that would be the lowest elevation ever recorded at the reservoir. … ” Read more from Channel 13.
How Colorado River talks will affect Utahns and millions more across the Southwest
“Water from the Colorado River and its tributaries irrigates farms, sprinkles lawns and quenches the thirst of millions across Utah and the greater Southwest. While only 27% of the state’s water comes from it, some 60% of Utahns rely on the Colorado River for drinking water, agriculture and industries such as energy and mining. The future of that water supply is increasingly tenuous, though. The river is overallocated, meaning farmers, cities and companies have rights to more water than actually runs through the basin. That gap is only growing as climate change makes the region hotter and drier, slowing the river’s flow. For years, representatives from the seven U.S. states that share the river have been in tense negotiations over how to manage the waterway during dry years. States were supposed to reach a basic agreement on Nov. 11, but they had nothing to show. … ” Read more from the Salt Lake Tribune.
Utah paid farmers to leave water in the Colorado River. Here’s how it’s going
“Kevin Cotner grows alfalfa in Carbon County. But this year, around a third of his family’s farmland hasn’t grown anything. “It’s burnt,” he said as he motioned across the desolate, brown field in front of him. “There’s no vegetation there.” That sounds dire, but for Cotner, the situation makes financial sense. His field is part of the first batch of farmland enrolled in Utah’s Demand Management Pilot Program. The initiative pays farmers in the state’s Colorado River Basin to leave some of their ground bare so the water they would have used instead flows downstream to Lake Powell. “It’s another cash crop. It’s just a different crop than a crop of alfalfa,” he said of the payments. “It’s a farm, but it is a business. And we have bills and commitments like any other business does, so it works for us.” … ” Read more from KUER.
Utah has county-by-county water goals. Is your county hitting them?
“One size fits all. That’s great for hats in the Zion National Park gift shop but not for water conservation goals. So at the start of this decade — and for the first time — Utah figured it would ditch that statewide approach and set goals that account for regional differences in water supplies and uses. After all, life in Salt Lake County isn’t like living in the eastern rural counties along the Colorado border. Water, as it turns out, “is very hyperlocal,” said Candice Hasenyager, director of the The Beehive State needs to do more with less as as Colorado River uncertainties stress its limited water supply. To meet a statewide conservation goal of 16%, the decade-long effort aims to reduce the water used in homes, schools and businesses. Individual targets were set for each county to make it happen. Farm irrigation isn’t part of it — there are other ways to save water there. While it’s true that most of Utah’s water goes to agriculture, “ag is not always where the people are,” Hasenyager said. So, how Utahns conserve in cities and towns still matters. … ” Read more from the Utah News Dispatch.
One size fits all. That’s great for hats in the Zion National Park gift shop but not for water conservation goals.
“So at the start of this decade — and for the first time — Utah figured it would ditch that statewide approach and set goals that account for regional differences in water supplies and uses. After all, life in Salt Lake County isn’t like living in the eastern rural counties along the Colorado border. Water, as it turns out, “is very hyperlocal,” said Candice Hasenyager, director of the Utah Division of Water Resources. The Beehive State needs to do more with less as growth, climate change and Colorado River uncertainties stress its limited water supply. To meet a statewide conservation goal of 16%, the decade-long effort aims to reduce the water used in homes, schools and businesses. Individual targets were set for each county to make it happen. Farm irrigation isn’t part of it — there are other ways to save water there. While it’s true that most of Utah’s water goes to agriculture, “ag is not always where the people are,” Hasenyager said. So, how Utahns conserve in cities and towns still matters. … ” Read more from the Utah News Dispatch.
Uranium discovered in newly built Colorado dam pauses $600 million project
“After decades of planning and four years of work, construction at the Chimney Hollow Reservoir, just west of Loveland, is now on pause. That’s after Northern Water, the operator of the project, discovered uranium in the granite used to build the dam. “We determined that the source of the uranium was the granite rock at the site, which had been quarried to provide material to build the (dam) embankment,” she said. “Meaning the embankment is now filled with these granite rocks that contain uranium.” The Chimney Hollow Reservoir is expected to become the largest dam built in the U.S. in more than two decades and will eventually serve over one million people along the Front Range, including residents of Broomfield, Erie, Fort Lupton, Greeley, Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, Loveland, and Superior. … ” Read more from the Colorado Sun.
